Homes with mould outnumber those with large screen TVs in England

A home in England is more likely to have issues with condensation, damp or mould than it is to have a large screen TV,  our new analysis finds. Six million homes have issues with condensation, damp or mould, while an estimated 5 million have TVs with screens larger than 50 inches.  

In total, one in every four homes in England risk putting their inhabitants’ physical health and mental wellbeing at risk with damp issues, as highlighted in the newly published Homes chapter of our State of Ageing 2025 report.  We are making the comparison to shine a light on the poor quality of much of England's housing which means that people are more likely to be living with a major housing fault rather than a beneficial accessory.  

The State of Ageing 2025 is the most detailed and up-to-date report about ageing in England. New findings from its latest chapter release also reveal that 7.5 million people are living in 3.5 million unsafe, non-decent homes. Almost one in three (31%) of those living in a non-decent home are aged 55 or over. Our new State of Ageing chapter also reveals the postcode lottery of housing quality across the country, with older homeowners in the East Midlands twice as likely (21%) to live in a non-decent home than those in London (10%).  

The highest number of non-decent, owner-occupied homes headed by someone aged 55 and over is in the North West (212,000), followed by the South West (195,000), the South East (184,000), the East Midlands (176,000) and Yorkshire and the Humber (162,000). 

These significant regional disparities in housing quality are attributed to several factors in the new State of Ageing chapter including:

“We welcome the government’s commitment to building 1.5 million new homes; however, it is important for them to also focus on the quality of our existing stock.”

The new State of Ageing chapter reveals how income is a significant deciding factor in the likelihood of living in a decent home. Older homeowners in the poorest 20% of the income distribution are twice as likely to live in a non-decent home as those in the richest 20%.  

The report also highlights how older Disabled people are disproportionately affected by poor-quality housing with three in ten households headed by someone aged 55 to 64 and where at least one occupant has a long-term illness or disability have problems with condensation, damp or mould. The State of Ageing 2025 report is also highlighting the impact on mental health, as well as physical health, from living in poor quality housing.

More than a third (36%) of homeowners aged 55 and over living in non-decent homes report high or very high levels of anxiety, leaving millions suffering due to the state of their homes. As part of its State of Ageing 2025 report, we're calling on the government to address the housing crisis in the country by committing to improving the quality of cold, dangerous homes, particularly for poorer homeowners, in its forthcoming national Housing Strategy.

We're actively enabling local authorities to implement an evidence-based Good Home Hub model, a one-stop shop that gives residents access to information, finance, and trusted tradespeople for home improvement.  We want the housing strategy to be supported with sufficient, long-term funding to help ensure home improvement support can be delivered throughout the country via a network of local Good Home Hubs. 

Millie Brown, Deputy Director for Homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, said:

“Our State of Ageing report highlights the enormous scale of the poor quality housing crisis in this country which requires urgent action.  

“While the government has rightly identified the need to significantly increase the supply of new homes to help tackle the crisis, the reality is four in five homes that will exist in 2050 have already been built. We need to ensure that the support is available to ensure that these homes remain habitable for decades to come.

“One way to do this is implementing one-stop shops for home improvement services, known as Good Home Hubs. We know from our work with Lincolnshire County Council that Good Home Hubs can have a substantial positive impact upon people's lives.

“We must act now to improve the decency of our homes, so that everyone can live in a home where they thrive, not just survive.”